Wednesday, August 14, 2013

The War On Mosquitoes

How many have died from dengue fever in Singapore? The official position from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) states "This is the fifth local dengue death case this year."

The actual number depends on whether you want to make the minister in charge look good/bad, and the mainstream media does that very well. The tally goes like this:
1st victim, 20-year-old Singaporean Chinese male, lived in Hougang Ave 1, died 29 May 2013;
2nd victim, 60-year-old Singaporean Chinese male, lived in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, died 9 June 2013;
3rd victim, 86-year-old Singaporean Chinese male, lived in the Sembawang Road area, 25 June 2013;
4th victim, a 66-year-old Singaporean Chinese male, lived in the Tanglin Halt area, died 8 July 2013;
5th victim, 52-year-old Chinese male, lived in Corporation Walk, died on 13 August 2013.

The unvarnished truth is that there is a tie for 4th occurrence, an Indonesian male, who died on 25 June 2013. The victim contracted dengue fever overseas between 10 - 21 June 2013 and was subsequently sent to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for treatment on 23 June 2013. He was a foreigner who died in a local hospital, under competent medical care of doctors stationed locally. So 5 or 6 local dengue deaths, you choose the number to rank how well Vivan Balakrishnan is doing his job.

The number is not very helpful. More helpful is an article in a Smithsonian magazine, which spells out how blood type, metabolism, exercise, shirt color and beer consumption can determine whether the mosquitoes choose to land on you. Here are some of their key findings:

Blood type: Mosquitoes prefer people with Type O blood nearly twice as often as those with Type A. People with Type B blood fell somewhere in the middle;
Carbon Dioxide: People who simply exhale more of the gas over time — generally, larger people — attract more mosquitoes than others;
Exercise and Metabolism: Strenuous exercise which increases the buildup of lactic acid and heat in your body, makes you more attractive to the mosquitoes;
Skin Bacteria: Mosquitoes are especially prone to biting our ankles and feet because they naturally have more robust bacteria colonies;
Beer: Just a single 12-ounce bottle of beer can make you more attractive to mosquitoes;
Pregnancy: Pregnant women have been found to attract roughly twice as many mosquito bites as others, because they exhale about 21 percent more carbon dioxide and are on average about 1.26 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than others;
Clothing Color: Wearing colors that stand out (black, dark blue or red) may make you easier for the mosquitoes to find.

Now that you know better, make it tougher for the mozzies to home in on you - don't drink beer, hold on to your gases, stay cool, keep clean and avoid outstanding colours. Definitely more useful than the doctored information provided by MOH and NEA.

17 comments:

  1. Hahaha.. can change blood type or not?

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  2. Actually more dangerous than the Aedes mosquitoes are the greedy white blood sucking pigs in parliament. They cause more pain and suffering that you would rather choose to die from Dengue. At least ur family can claim insurance payout and unlock ur CPF money.

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  3. 80% are Singaporean Chinese male, 20% Chinese male (FT, PR ?). Conclusion: the mozzies are targeting the Ah Bengs.

    Seriously, the more people there are, the more the cases of Dengue infection and deaths, because the mozzies have more targets. There are still other deases out there which are more deadly like MERS, H7N9, Ebola, SARS, etc. Being a small red dot, there is nowhere to hide. And they want to increase the population by 30%? They must be NUTS.

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  4. I read that there is a smartphone app that will buzz the mosquitoes away.

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  5. Those characteristics that attract mosquitoes are most helpful. Just as important as those mozzie wipe out campaigns from the NEA or MOH. Thanks Tattler.

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  6. how cUm victims all Chinese?

    this virus(?) are genetically modified to kill certain races?

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  7. Its a plot.

    Singapore is a very small and vulnerable place. We cannot take things for granted. There is much uncertainty.

    In the 1950s it was a communist plot
    In the 1960s it was the May 13 riot plot
    In the 1970s it was the long hair hippie plot
    In the 1980s it was the Marxists plot
    In the 1990s it was the foreign newspapers plot
    In the 2000s it was the upgrading skills plot

    We are feeling our way amidst an uncertain world...
    ( rewind button activated... )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. and in 2011, the plot was the brainwashing of the minds of the daft singaporean;

      into believing that PAP is heading toward tyranny, elitist, and growing cronyism, which we know are slanders and lies to smear the whiter than whiter papies

      recent incidents such corruptions revealed (are actually wise decisions by the accused to ultilised those budgets before end of the financial years) ... thus not corruptions per se

      SO STOP DIRTYING THE GOOD NAME AND REPUTATION OF THE PAP

      long live lee kuan yew
      stay mentally alert to witness events as they unfold ...

      Delete
    2. //recent incidents such corruptions revealed (are actually wise decisions by the accused to ultilised those budgets before end of the financial years)//

      makes you wonder what other wise decisions have been made by this government to "ultilised (sic) those budgets before end of the financial years"

      Delete
    3. "Singapore is a small and vulnerable place"
      Depends on how we measure it. It still takes me 1.5hrs to travel from Changi to Boon Lay. I get to stand 90% of the journey. In LON I get a seat, in PAR I get a seat, in New York, I get a seat.
      Batam island is the same size.

      "we cannot take things for granted"
      Oh, yes we can! You cannot spend your CPF let alone get your hands on it!Employers will always be the favourite son to the Government.. you and I are the adopted orphaned ones.

      "There is much uncertainty"
      Its certain the Lee family will still be in control... even from the shadows.


      Delete
  8. In short U mean to say these type of statistics they also want to massage to look themselves good ?

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  9. From the list of key findings, can I now say that those who partake in alcohol, followed by a strenuous session of sex without taking a bath are likely to attract mosquitoes, and more vulnerable lazing around naked ?
    I wonder what Vivian think of this ?

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  10. Thought that Sin is internationally known for its' sqeaky cleanliness both in the physical environment and the trait of its' people.
    The rulers are corrupt free. Can they also be good to make Sin disease free or at least less diseases compare to other countries?

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  11. The biggest blood sucking low lives are the PAP - we should get rid of them first.

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    Replies
    1. War on mosquitoes pales in comparison to war on PAP.
      These low lives sucked so much from the people to the point less than half have enough money to retire, and this despite having the highest rate of savings on the planet.

      Delete
  12. Now, shouldn't Vivian B be focussing his effort here instead of blowing hot air over the cleaning of hawker centres. Lives are at stake here, for crying out loud.

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  13. My blood type is XO. Does it attract the mozzies? Hope they don't get drunk sucking my XO blood type.

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